Christian Schwarz <schwarz@monet.m.isar.de>:
> Is a preinst script run before any depending packages are unpacked?
No. Programmer v2.1.1.0 s8.2:
All but Pre-Depends (discussed below) take effect only when a package
is to be configured. They do not prevent a package being on the system
in an unconfigured state while its dependencies are unsatisfied, and
it is possible to replace a package whose dependencies are satisfied
and which is properly installed with a different version whose
dependencies are not and cannot be satisfied; when this is done the
depending package will be left unconfigured (since attempts to
configure it will give errors) and will not function properly.
> We are currently converting tetex's preinst script in a Perl script
> that depends on dpkg-perl, so the question is wheter tetex-* has to
> "Depend" on dpkg-perl or "Pre-Depend" on it.
Policy s3.1.4:
Do not use Pre-Depends or Essential: yes unless your package is
absolutely vital to the functioning of the system and the installation
of other packages. Do not do either of these things without
consultation with the distribution maintainers or on debian-devel.
So you should not make tetex's preinst depend on dpkg-perl. Only
Essential packages are guaranteed to be available in preinst scripts.
Ian.
--
TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to
debian-devel-request@lists.debian.org .
Trouble? e-mail to templin@bucknell.edu .